Generally, forceps may be utilized for laparoscopic surgery. The forceps may be used to control delicate movements inside a patient. These forceps may be used to grip an anatomical feature. The forceps may include a gripping assembly or a cutting assembly. The forceps may include electrical energy for use in the gripping assembly. The forceps have a pair of opposed resilient jaws that are closed against each other by pulling the jaws into a distal end of a shaft that captures a portion of the jaws that is wider than the distal end opening of the shaft so that the jaws are moved together. Similarly, the tube may be pushed over the jaws so that the jaws are moved together to create a gripping force. In both of these the tubes capture a portion of the jaws and acts as a cam that forces the jaws together to create the gripping force. Other forceps may include a pivot and movement of ends of the forceps opposite the jaws may cause the jaws to rotate closed about the pivot. Examples of some forceps may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,445,638; 6,190,386; 6,113,596; 6,679,882, 7,118,587, and 8,734,443 all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes. During gripping of the anatomical feature such as tissue the anatomical feature may slip out from between the jaws and re-gripping may be needed in order to grip the anatomical feature between the jaws. Furthermore, repeated gripping of the anatomical feature of over-gripping (e.g., a high application of force) could potentially damage or injure the anatomical feature requiring additional healing or treatment.
It would be attractive for the forceps to include a device that includes atraumatic tissue control that assists in maintaining the tissue between the jaws. What is needed is forceps that includes one or more fluid openings that assist in retaining an anatomical feature between the jaws so that the anatomical feature can be gripped without the need for re-gripping or over-gripping. What is needed is forceps that are connected to a suction source and the suction source creates a vacuum at the jaws and the vacuum assists in holding an anatomical feature against one or both of the jaws so that the anatomical feature is retained in place while a clamping force is applied. It would be attractive to have one or more jaws that include one or more conduction plates assist in applying power to the anatomical features. What is needed is one or more jaws that include teeth that assist in retaining the anatomical feature between the jaws.